Four-Letter Words by Evans, Gabrielle (top 10 books of all time .txt) 📗

It was a charge, stronger than Lynk’s, and very different from anything else he’d ever experienced. He could almost see it, reach out and touch it, and the closer it came, the faster Thane’s pulse raced.

“We’re already here,” another man argued.

Thane didn’t recognize the voice, but he found it alluring. It comforted him in a way he hadn’t known for several years, and for the first time since he’d been dumped into the well, hope blossomed.

“My Infinity,” Thane mouthed.

Lynk had explained during the magical dream he’d pulled Thane into that his mate’s name was Zasha, he was a vampire, and he had a fairly important position in a large coven. His brother had also informed him that due to some miscommunication, Zasha believed Lynk to be his mate instead of Thane.

The confusion had caused a lot of problems for his brother, but Thane wasn’t overly concerned. He just needed five minutes with the vampire to set things straight.

He wanted to call out to the approaching men, but when he opened his mouth, all that escaped him was a hissing breath. With no magic, and no strength to use it even if he still had it, he couldn’t reach out to Lynk through their twin bond, either. He could only sit there and hope they wouldn’t give up and turn away before they found him.

“We have to know for sure.” That was Raith. He’d recognize his older brother’s gruff tone anywhere, even if he hadn’t spoken to the man in years. “We need to at least see if there’s any evidence that Thane was here at one time.”

Yes, check for evidence. Look into the well and find me, brother. I’m here. Find me.

A face appeared at the mouth of the well, silhouetted by the moonlight so that he was nothing more than a shadowy head with shoulders. “Hello?” his mate called down to him, though it was obvious he couldn’t see Thane in the darkness of the pit.

Still, Thane couldn’t call back, couldn’t make any sound. Hell, he couldn’t even lift his arm to splash the water. Gods, he wished he could see Zasha’s face. Despite the urgency of the situation, he couldn’t help but wonder if the vampire still looked the same as he remembered.

It had been so long since they’d been separated, but Thane could still picture the cute dimple in Zasha’s left cheek when he smiled. Tragedy had torn his Infinity from him centuries ago, but fate had just handed him an opportunity for a new beginning. Considering the guy had a perpetual hard-on for his brother, Thane doubted Zasha recalled their previous life together, but again, he wasn’t concerned. On the contrary, he looked forward to helping Zasha regain his memories, to showing the vampire just why they were so perfectly matched.

A second figure appeared beside the first, peering down into the well for only a moment before backing away. Sticking his tongue between his teeth, Thane bit down as hard as he could, drawing a ragged groan from his chest when the pain radiated throughout his entire mouth. It wasn’t a loud noise, but it was something, and if he was lucky, someone would hear him.

“Thane!” Lynk reappeared at the opening of the well, leaning over the side until he was bent almost in half. “Thane! Are you okay? Can you talk to me?”

His mouth wouldn’t cooperate to form words, but Thane groaned again in response, forcing the sound up through his raw, burning esophagus.

“We’re going to get you out,” Lynk promised, resolve lacing his tone. “Just be still.”

Yeah, that wasn’t going to be a problem. It wasn’t like him to sit back and wait to be rescued, but in this instance, he had no choice. He’d lost so much weight and blood that the simple act of holding his head up was a chore.

A loud grunt echoed throughout the clearing and down into the well, followed by the muffled thud of something—or someone—hitting the ground. Thane couldn’t be sure if it was his mate or Raith who had been attacked, but a sudden interruption in the energy flowing from the vampire led him to believe it had indeed been his Infinity.

Hurry, Lynk. Thane knew firsthand the vile things his captors were capable of inflicting, and he refused to let Zasha become just another victim of their wickedness. There wasn’t a whole lot he could do from his current position, however, and honestly, he didn’t know how much help he’d be once he was free. Still, he couldn’t just sit there and do nothing.

A second groan—this time distinctly identifiable as coming from Raith—drifted down into his prison. Lynk disappeared from view momentarily, likely to investigate the noise, only to reappear with a loud cry as he tumbled backward with such violence that he lost his balance.

The circumference of the well wasn’t big enough for the awkward angle in which he’d fallen, and Thane winced when he heard his brother’s head smack against wet, stone wall. A heartbeat later, Lynk hit the surface of the pool, splashing water into Thane’s face and soaking his hair.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins, giving Thane a reserve of strength he didn’t know he still possessed. Unable to see in the inky blackness, he felt around in the frigid water until his hand landed on Lynk’s shoulder. Grunting and groaning, he clenched his teeth against the onslaught of pain as his muscles screamed in protest.

The smallest exertion hurt like the ten shades of hell, but he couldn’t let his brother die. Thankfully, the buoyancy made his task easier, and he managed to get his arm around Lynk and pull him upright, holding the man protectively to his chest.

Several minutes that felt like an eternity passed before Lynk finally began to stir. After a groan and some movement of his head, he went completely still, though. His shoulders tensed, his spine became rigid, and Thane could feel the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

“Easy,” he said, hoping to ease the man’s fears.